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I (No Model.) I G. A. GUNTHER.

snow PLOW. v No. 281,496. Patented July .17, 1883.

INVENTOR! M ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

' GEORGE A. GUNTHER, on NEW UTREOHT, NEW YORK.

SNOW- PLOW.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,496, dated July 17,1883,

v I Application filed January 27, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. GUNTHER, of New Utrecht, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new. and

Improved Snow-Plow, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved snow-plowprovided'with devices for scattering and loosening the snow andfacilitating the entrance of the plow into the snow.

The invention consists in the combination, with a snow-plow, of a tubefor ejecting torpedoes to be exploded in front of the plow.

The invention further consists in an anvil or other obstruction held infront of the end of the tube, against which anvil the torpedoes strikeand are exploded, all. as will be fully set forth hereinafter. goReference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part ofthis specification, in which a longitudinal elevation ofalocomotive-engine provided with my improved snow-plow is shown, partsbeing in section. A tube, A, made about in the same manner as agnu-barrel, projects about eight feet from the front of a snow-plow, B,made of thick iron plates, and held in front of the locomotive-engine C.From the front end of the 0 tube A an arm, D, projects about two feet,to .the outer end of which arm a block or anvil,

E, or other obstruction is fastened in such a;

manner that torpedoes ejected from the end of the tube A must strikeagainst it and will 3 5 be exploded. The end of the tube A is suitablybraced and supported. The tube A exj tends from the snow-plow to thecaboose F,

and is connected with a compressed-air reservoir, G, (shown in dottedlines,) or to an' 40 air-pump. Means are to be provided for keeping thereservoir filled with compressed air. A suitable receptacle, H, fortorpedoes is provided, from which they can be successively passed intothe tube A. Neither the 5 torpedo-receptacle nor the reservoir for thecompressed air need necessarily be located in the caboose, but can belocated in any other suitable part of the locomotive. The torpedoes areto be made of such material that they will only be exploded whenforcibly thrown against a solid object, and will not be exploded by theshocks received by the jolt ing of the locomotive.

The operation is as follows: The plow is forced into the snow, and thena torpedo is conducted into the tube A and ej ected from the end of thesame andthrown forcibly against theanvil E by means of compressed airadmitted into the tube A from the reservoir G. The torpedo explodes andscatters and loos- 6c ens the snow in front of the plow, thusfacilitating the entrance of the plow into the snow. The above operationis repeated every few seconds, or as often as may be necessary.

'Instead of firing the torpedo by means of compressed air, a vacuum maybe created in the tube and the torpedo fired out of the tube by the airsuddenly admitted into the tube. In place of compressed air, steam ofsufficient pressure may .be used. I 7c If desired, a number of tubes orbarrels A, may be combined with a plow, and a number of torpedoes firedsimultaneously. The torpedoes may also be of such nature that when firedinto the snow from the barrel or tube they will explode of their ownaccount, and without striking against the anvil E or other obstruction.I

If desired, the end of the tube can be bent or curved to throw thetorpedoes against the Sc plow and explode them.

Having thus described my invention, whatl claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,

1. The combination, with a snow-plow, of 8= a tube or barrel forejecting torpedoes, substantially as herein shown and described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a snow-plow, of a tube or barrel for ejectingtorpedoes, and of an obstruction held in front of the end of the tube,substantially as herein shown and de scribed, and for the purpose setforth.

3. The combination, with a snow-plow, of a tube or barrel for ejectingtorpedoes, pro- 93 jecting some distance from the front of thesnow-plow, and of an obstruction held in front of the end of the barrelor tube, substantially as herein shown and described, and for thepurpose set forth. n

4. The combination, with a snow'plow, of the tube or barrel A, forejecting torpedoes, the arm D, projecting from the end of the tube, andof the anvil E onthe end of the arm, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, 1 and for the purpose set forth.

GEO. A. GUNTHER. Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, V O. Snnewrox.

